WPC E!CBS(} (A6Dsߥe?`%t9 x2fv(I&+޼]b`f9hڭfhaw1yj-&"f ?*^%|d}u5ub~,?T$ѿ &YRReu:X~ 'ehm>,Qz mRYv'6նfC|~\be$a #+>Zȁ9N\rޟ^oo `G7Gv~^֠T1F?2xOl+t#& .` Jm^1^;(;OBL6h(VqT>MJ3 u:UoMȭ;D{&T kgsdXp7_ 1FE 72 1u 72v 0 c 1  72 1 72K 1} 72UN6666666666666b 0 Bww 0 D38 D-k 0K AS6 0 0D AHP LaserJet 8000 Series PS0!~h+ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regularm~g+:i+00 C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xU E R$      1  !XMX!  _DorothyCampbelldiedduringthependencyofthisactionfromcausesunrelatedtothe  action,andtheactionwasrevivedbyherson,BillCampbell,asAdministratorofherEstate.Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#$  0   (CEKQW]cioAutoList1A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.3#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)(;3$2#  0  .3  0  (CEKQW]cioAutoList2A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.(CEKQW]cioAutoList3A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.(CEKQW]cioAutoList4A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.A.(I Z6Times New Roman Regular- -(|G2$ !.8EDd d 8         0  X+4X d(|3$ !.8EDd d 8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8EDd d 8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8I4d d8     _! t!8#XXdd 8@ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @$ATKNOXVILLE  @ AssignedonBriefs,October23,2001 $ !XMX! t #! tX!XM#  BILLCAMPBELL,asExecutoroftheEstateofDorothyCampbell,v. " BLOUNTMEMORIALHOSPITAL!XMX! t   6 @  DirectAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforBlountCounty  6 @Y Y No.L11726Hon.W.DaleYoung,CircuitJudge  "    `     h FILEDNOVEMBER8,2001   @*AV) ` dE<` A߈   @No.E200100717COAR3CV   AV) ` dE<h` A i   Patientsustainedinjuriesindefendantsemergencyroom.TheTrialCourtgrantedaTenn.R.Civ. P P.Rule41.02(2)Motiontodefendant.Plaintiffappealed.Weaffirm. < #! tX!XMs#!XMX! t Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtAffirmed.  P HerschelPickensFranks#! t!XM#!XMX.! t,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhich#! t!XM#!XMX.! tCharlesD.Susano,  Jr.,J.,andD.MichaelSwiney,#! t!XM!#!XMX.! tԀJ.,joined.  KevinW.Shepherd,Maryville,Tennessee,forAppellant,BillCampbell. t CarlP.McDonald,Maryville,Tennessee,forAppellee,BlountMemorialHospital,Inc. L  @66' OPINION #! tX!XM#!XMX! tԈ $8 $    ` Inthisactionforpersonalinjuriessustainedbythedeceased,  #  1      ׀essentiallythe '"' gravamenatthetimeoftrialwasthatwhileDorothyCampbellwasintheemergencyroomonabed (#( and confused,disoriented,andsufferingfromahighfever,shefellfromthebed,sustaining )$) injuries.HersonBillCampbellwaswithher,butlefttheroomtomakeaphonecallandwhenhe p*%* returnedhefoundherlyingonthefloorwiththebedraildown.Thecomplaintthencharges:  0  0` (#(#...Thedefendantisguiltyofnegligenceforthemerefactthattheyleftaconfused  anddisorientedwomanunattendedinabedwiththebedraildown,andthatsaid t negligencedoesnotrequireexpertmedicalproof,butisofacommonknowledge, ` readilyunderstoodbyareasonableperson.L ` (#` (#    ` Priortotrial,defendantfiledaMotionforSummaryJudgmentwhichwasactedupon $ t byJudgeD.KellyThomas,Jr.IntheCourtsOrder,summaryjudgmentwasgrantedtodefendant  ` astoseveralallegationsof medicalnegligence,buttheCourtreservedjudgmentonplaintiffs  L  claim relatedtothesiderailsonthebedonwhichDorothywasintheemergencyroomatdefendant  8  hospital.Inframingtheremainingissue,theCourtsaid: [W]hetherornottheplaintiffmustsatisfy $  thenegligenceclaimwithexpertmedicalevidence....Attrial,BillCampbelltestifiedthathe   attendedhismotherintheemergencyroomandshewasplacedinafairlylargeroomwiththreeor   fourbedsinit.Hetestifiedthatayoungladycameinwithacart,heassumedwasan EKGthing.   Atthetimehelefttheroomthereweretwopeoplethereandheadvisedthemthathewasgoingto   callhiswife,andthatwhenhereturnedtotheroomaftermakingtwophonecalls,hesawhismother p lyingontheflooralone,andtherailonthebedwasdown. \    ` Dorothysattendingphysician,whoexaminedDorothyintheemergencyroom, 4 testifiedthatafterexaminingDorothy,thephysicianorderedheradmittedtohospitalwitha  p diagnosisof pneumonia,sepsis,dehydration,UTI.ThedoctoralsotestifiedthatDorothys  \ temperaturewithinafewminutesofherarrival,was essentiallynormal.Thedoctoralsotestified: H  (83! !"3"  0  0` (#(#3.2  Q  .3  0 ` (#` (#  Atnotimedidyouthinkitappropriatethattherebeanytypeofrestraints   appliedtoMrs.Campbellbecauseoftheconditioninwhichyoufoundherat   7:10p.m.,December19,1997,correct?3.{݌ (# (# Ќ  ! ! (88"3"  0  0` (#(#32  A  .3  0 ` (#` (#  Correct.3݌ (# (# Ќ   (88! !"3"  0  0` (#(#3E2  Q  .3  0 ` (#` (#  Itwouldhavebeeninappropriatetorestrainher?3E݌X  (# (# Ќ  ! ! (88"3"  0  0` (#(#3 2  A  .3  0 ` (#` (#  Correct.3 W݌0"  (# (# Ќ  Attheconclusionofplaintiffsproof,defendantmadeaMotionpursuanttoTenn.R.Civ.P. $X" 41.02(2),andtheTrialCourtdismissedtheaction.PlaintiffhasappealedtothisCourt. $D #    ` TheRuleallowstheCourt,aftertheplaintiffhaspresentedherevidence,todismiss &"% theplaintiffscaseuponfindingtheplaintiff hasshownnorighttorelief.Underthese '#& circumstances,itisthedutyofthetrialcourttoimpartiallyweighandevaluatetheevidenceinthe (#' samemannerasthoughheweremakingafindingoffactattheconclusionofalltheevidencefor )$( bothparties,andiftheplaintiffhasnotmadeoutthecasebyapreponderanceoftheevidence,a |*%) judgmentagainsttheplaintiffonthemeritsisappropriate.SeeCityofColumbiav.C.F.W. h+&* ConstructionCo.,557S.W.2d734(Tenn.1977).     ` OurreviewofsuchjudgmentisdenovoupontherecordoftheTrialCourt,  accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessoftheJudgment,unlesstheevidencepreponderates t otherwise.Noldv.SelmaBank&TrustCo.,558S.W.2d442(Tenn.Ct.App.1977). `    ` Appellantcitestonoregulationsintherecordthatwouldrequirethebedrailstobe 8  upatalltimes,nordidheofferanyexpertevidencethatduetothedeceasedscondition,thatthebed $ t railshouldhavebeenkeptinplace.However,plaintiffarguesthatthehospitalpersonnelwere  ` negligentinnotkeepingthebedrailsupatalltimes,andthatexperttestimonywasunnecessaryto  L  establishsuchnegligence.Intherecordbeforeusthereisinsufficientevidencetoestablishaduty  8  uponthehospitaltohavekeptthebedrailsupatalltimes.Thereisevidencethatthedeceased $  shouldnothavebeenrestrained,andthehospitalsmedicalrecordsstatethatplaintiffwastryingto   getoutofthebedonherownwhenshefell.      ` Weconcludethatwhetherthebedrailsshouldhavebeenup,wasajudgment   requiringspecializedskills,notordinarilypossessedbylaypersons,ortobedeterminedonthebasis p ofeverydaycommonexperience.SeeMurphyv.Schwartz,739S.W.2d777,779(Tenn.Ct.App. \ 1986);Dolev.VanderbiltUniversity,958S.W.2d117,120(Tenn.Ct.App.1997). H    ` TheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainsttheTrialJudgesfindings.Tenn.R.App.  p P.13(d).  \    ` Finally,plaintiffarguesthattheTrialCourterredindismissingplaintiffscaseasit 4 relatedtoplaintiffstheoryofbreachofcontract.TheallegationsoftheComplaintfallwithinthe   ambitoftortiousconductinvolvingmedicaldiagnosis,treatment,andotherscientificmatters,as   notedinTeetev.ShelbyCountyHealthcareCorp.,938S.W.2d693,696(Tenn.Ct.App.1996),and  ontherecordbeforeusanactionincontractismeritless.     ` Fortheforegoingreasons,weaffirmtheJudgmentoftheTrialCourtandremand, l withthecostoftheappealassessedtotheplaintiffAdministrator,BillCampbell. X  #! tX!XM#!XMX! t   `     h     _________________________ $D #    `     h     HerschelPickensFranks,J. %0!$